Honored Coaches

Bob Ledbetter (Southlake Carroll; 2012)

Ledbetter posted a career 208-39-3 (84.2 percent) overall record in 20 years. During this time, his Dragons logged a cumulative record of 184-30-3 (84 percent). He coached Southlake Carroll to seven consecutive undefeated regular seasons, including three years of 16-0, winning three state titles and producing a state and national record of 72-straight regular-season victories.

Todd Dodge (Southlake Carroll; 2003)

Dodges’s teams were 98-11 in his seven seasons at Southlake Carroll and won four state championships at the Class 5A level. Was head coach at North Texas and an assostant at Pittsburgh before coming ack to the high school ranks at Marble Falls.

Homer Johnson (Garland 1993)

Johnson was on the coaching staff of one of the most talented Oil Bowl teams Texas has ever produced.Nine players off that team went on to play in the NFL following their 23-14 win over Oklahoma.Johnson just completed his 60th year working for the Garland Independent School District.A 1945 graduate of Garland High School, Johnson played football at Texas A&M and North Texas State before coming home to take his first coaching job as an assistant under Jerry Sellers in 1948. At the time, the 20-year-old backfield coach was the youngest assistant in Texas.Johnson took over as head coach at Garland in 1958 — again, at 29, the youngest head football coach in Texas at the highest classification. He directed the Owls to their first district title in that classification in 1960.At 34, Johnson took over as athletic director for the Garland school system and has been on that job now for 46 years. He is a member of the Garland Sports Hall of Fame; the Texas High School Football Coaches Hall of Honor; the Texas Athletic Directors Hall of Honor and the Texas Football Hall of Fame.

Chuck Curtis (Cleburne; 1983)

Curtis won three straight high school state championships in the 1960s. He coached Jacksboro to the Class 2A state tilte in 1962 and then coached Garland to back-to-back titles in 1963 and 1964. A 2007 inductee into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, he was a star quarterback at TCU before beginning his coaching career. In the 1957 Cotton Bowl, Curtis threw two touchdown passes and ran for another TD to lead the Horned Frogs to a 28-27 win over Jim Brown and Syracuse.

G.A. Moore (Pilot Point; 1982)

The winningest coach in Texas high school history, Moore’s current record is 422-86-9. He has coached at Bryson, Sherman, Celina and Pilot Point.

Dub Largin (Wichita Falls Hirschi; 1981)

Worked an assistant on head coach Jess Stiles first staff at Wichita Falls Hirschi and later served under Glen Johnson before serving at the Huskies’ head coach for a dozen seasons. His teams won six district titles and were 33-8-3 in his last four years.

Joe Bob Tyler (Wichita Falls; 1979-85)

Was the first Texan to both play and coach in the Oil Bowl. Inducted into the athletic hall of fame at Northeast Louisiana University. Was the first head football coach at Wichita Falls Rider High School and went from there to Haltom High School and Wichita Falls High School. Considered one of the great single wing coaches of all-time.

Larry Coker (Claremore; 1978)

Went from high school coaching in Oklahoma to a long career as a college assistant coach before finally getting a chance to be a college head coach in 2001 at the University of Miami. Led the Hurricanes to a national championship his first season and posted a 35-3 record with three straight Bowl Championship Series appearances in his first three years.

Charlie Johnston (Childress; 1978)

Retired as the third winningest coach in Texas high school history with a 314-94-8 overall record in 36 years at Childress High School. First winner of the prestigious Tom Landry Award given by the Texas High School Coaches Association.

Gordon Wood (Brownwood; 1977-85)

The legendary Texas high school coach won nine state championships, seven of those in his 26 seasons with Brownwood. Wood’s coaching record from 1949 through 1985 was 396-91-15.

Grant Teaff (Baylor; 1964-71)

Was the head coach at McMurry and then Angelo State in his two Oil Bowls, but Teaff went on to make a name for himself at Baylor. The Bears were 7-43 in the five years before Teaff took over, but he won two Southwest Conference titles there and took them to eight bowl games. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

Gil Steinke (Texas A&I; 1960-67)

Coaches 23 years at Texas A&I in Kingsville and won six national championship in NAIA Division I. His record was 182-61-4. Was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996, one year after his death.

Joe Golding (Wichita Falls; 1947-48-49-50-51)

Coached in five Oil Bowls during his 15 years at Wichita Falls High School. Golding had a record of 152-22-2 and won four state championships with the Coyotes. He was also instrumental in building the Memorial Stadium that the game is now played in.

Bobby Dodd (Georgia Tech; 1944)

Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993 after leading Georgia Tech to a 165-64-8 record in 22 seasons. Once had a 31-game win streak and an eight-game bowl win streak.

Blair Cherry (Texas; 1944)

He coached Amarillo High School to three straight state championships in 1934, 1935 and 1936 and 84-5 in seven seasons with the Sandies. Joined Dana X Bible’s staff at the University of Texas where he coached Tom Landry and Bobby Layne and became one of the pioneers of the T-formation. Later became head coach of the Longhorns and was 32-10-1 in four seasons.

Matty Bell (SMU; 1943)

This native of Haskell, Texas, coached SMU to a co-national championship and a Rose Bowl berth in 1935; finished with 153 victories and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.

Homer Norton (Texas A&M; 1943-46)

Coached Texas A&M to a national title in 1939. That year the Aggies outscored the opposition 198-18 in 10 games and edged Tulane 14-13 in the Sugar Bowl. Was 82-53-9 at A&M from 1934 to 1947. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.

Dutch Meyer (TCU; 1942)

A College Football Hall of Fame coach who tutored quarterbacks Sammy Baugh and Davey O’Brien while at TCU. Coached TCU to a national title in 1938.

Jess Neely (Rice; 1941)

Coached college football for 40 years and had a 207-176-19 record. Spent 27 of those years at Rice where he won four Southwest Conference championships and took the Owls to seven bowl games. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.

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